Slide fastener



July 21, 1936. I G, H, CUTTLER 2,048,646

SLIDE FASTENER Filed Nov. 17, 1935 igJI. 1719M INVENTOR. George H Cuitler BY Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDE FASTENER Application November 1'1, 1933, Serial No. 698,524 In Great Britain July 20, 1933 5 Claims. (CI. 24-205) My invention relates to slide fasteners, which comprise generally a pair of flexible cloth tapes having closely and uniformly spaced fastener elements attached along the meeting edges of said tapes in combination with a slider embracing said fastener elements for engaging and disengaging the same, and end stop devices for limiting the movement of said slider. v

In a large percentage of slide fasteners the bottom stop is also a permanent connector for the stringers but in fasteners applied to coat-like garments and some other articles, it is necessary to provide a separable connection at the bottom end of the stringers, which will act as a stop for the slider, and which will align the members properly for reengagement by the slider, and at the same time, which is simple and easy to operate. Furthermore, it must also be strong and secure against tearing forces tending to pull apart the fastener at the bottom end. The object of the present invention is to improve such separable bottom stop devices along the lines above indicated, and further make the construction in such a manner that it will be neat in appearance and simple and cheap to manufacture. My improved device employs a pin member on the edge of one stringer which is inserted into a socket member on the other stringer. There is no particular difllculty in forming the pin member and the chief problems occur in the socket member.

Inaccordance with the present invention the socket member is formed from a. single piece of sheet metal which is bent up to provide a tape holding portion and side plates which constitute the side walls of the socket projecting outwardly from the edge of the stringer.

The specific object of my invention'is to' provide in a combination of the type indicated, means for reinforcing the side plates against spreading so that the socket member will be very secure and will not spring or bend open to allow disengagement of the pin member when force is exerted on the ends of the fastener.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration and description, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice. In this drawing:-

Fig. l is a general plan view of a fastener equipped with a separable bottom stop device constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the parts in position for reengagemnt;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 of Figl 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section through the socket member;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank for forming the socket member;

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and end views respectively of the blank after the initial bending operations;

Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively, plan and end views of the blank after being bent into position for clamping on the edge of the stringer;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the end of a stringer carrying the socket member;

Fig. 11 shows the sheet metal blank for forming the pin member; and

Fig. 12 shows the end of the stringer carrying the pin member.

Referring to the drawing, the flexible mounting tapes l3, l4 carry on their beaded edges, fastener elements l5, 16 mounted in uniformly and closely spaced relation. These fastener elements have not been shown in detail but it will be understood that they are arranged in staggered relation and provided with cooperating projections and recesses which interlock when they are brought into intermeshing relation by means of the slider l1, which is conveniently manipulated by the pull member I8.

The end of the stringers to which the slider is pulled in opening the fastener is referred to as the bottom end even though in actual use, it may be the upper end. The bottom ends of the tapes I 3, I4 are preferably treated up to about the lines I 9 with a stiffening material. One method, for example, of stiffening and reinforcing these ends is to place a thin sheet of pyroxylin material over the tapes and unite it firmly to them by the use of solvent. I

The separable bottom stop device comprises the pin member 20 and the socket member generally designated 2|. The pin member as shown in Figs. 11 and. 12, is made from a simple sheet metal blank 22, bent around the beaded edge of'the stringer and. preferably beveled at the end as indicated at a 23, and having a curved notch 24 to facilitate insertion and removal from the slider. The socket member which is adapted to receive and hold the pin member, is made from a sheet metal blank shown in Fig. 5, having side portions 25 and a central portion 26 with an upward extension 21. Small pointed tabs 28 are cut out from the central portion of the blank and holes 29 punched in the central part of the side portions for a purpose which will later appear. This metal blank is next folded in its central portion as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, by the numeral 30, and during this folding operation, the tabs 28 will not'be bent. In this operation also the flanges 3| at the sides are bent up, the flanges 32 are formed at the bottom and the side plates are formed at their upper edges with lugs 33 for a purpose which will later appear.

In the next operation shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the side plates are bent back over the fold 30 so that the openings 29 are in line with the riveting tabs 28. The device is now ready to be clamped on the edge of the tape when the tape is placed in the pocket 34 formed by the fold 30.

After the device is thus clamped on the edge of the tape, the tabs 28 have passed through the openings 29, and are clinched over as shown at 35. The bottom flanges 32 cooperate to form a bottom closing wall for the socket which acts as a stop for the pin member. The side flanges 3| are bent toward each other but are spaced apart to leave a slot 36 for accommodating the tape of the other stringer.

The lugs 33 as shown in Fig. 4, provide re- I cesses for receiving the bottom end of the slider and act as a stop and controlling device for the slider during the removal and insertion of the pin member. The action of these parts is plainly illustrated in Fig. 2.

As a result of my invention it will be observed that a simple and compact separable bottom stop device has been provided in which 'the socket member is exceedingly strong and yet cheap to manufacture. The side plates are reinforced against separation by the riveting means in the form of tabs 28, which are integral with the sheet metal member. This reinforcing occurs beyond the edge of the stringer along the-inner wall of the socket, and in the plane of the outer edge of the fold 30. At this point, it is very valuable as a strengthening factor as will be readily apparent.

While I have shown and described in this application, one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a slide fastener, a pair of flexible stringers having cooperating rows of fastener members thereon, a separable bottom stop device for connecting said stringers at the end of the fastener to which the slider is pulled in opening the fastener, said device comprising a pin member on one stringer and a socket member on the other stringer to receive and hold said pin member, said socket member comprising a sheet metal piece bent to provide an inner wall of the socket and plates attached to and projecting from the edge of the stringer to form side walls, said plates being spaced apart and unconnected at their free edges, to form a socket with a slotted outer wall for receiving the end of the stringer carrying the pin, and means substantially in vertical alignment with the inner wall of said socket for reinforcing said plates against separation.

2. A socket member for a separable bottom stop device for connecting that end of a slide fastener stringer to which the slider is pulled in opening the fastener, comprising a sheet metal member bent to provide a securing portion for holding it on the edge of a tape, an inner wall, and a pair of projecting plates extending outwardly from the edge of the stringer and forming a socket for receiving the pin member of said device, said plates being unconnected alon the outer edges, and riveting means extending through said plates for reinforcing them against separation, said riveting means being substantially in vertical alignment with the inner wall of said socket.

3. A separable bottom stop device as defined in the preceding claim wherein said riveting means comprises tabs integral with the sheet metal member and extended through openings in said plates, andclinched over.

4.-A separable bottom stop device for connecting the stringers of a slide fastener to which the fastener is pulled in opening the fastener, comprising a sheet metal member bent to provide a socket for the reception of the pin member of said device, said socket having spaced side walls integrally united at the inner edge by a fold of the material disposed between said walls and defining a pocket for the reception of the beaded edge of the stringer, and flanges bent toward each other along the outer edges of said side walls but spaced apart to provide a slot extending the full length of said member, at least one of said walls being bent over at the bottom edge to provide a stop for the pin, and tabs cut out from the folded portion of the sheet metal blank and prejecting through holes in the said side walls in the plane of the outer edge of said fold, said tabs being clinched over on the outer surfaces of said side walls to reinforce the same against separation.

5. In combination, a slide fastener having stringers, a separable end connection comprising generally a pin member on one stringer and a socket member on the other stringer, wherein said socket member comprises a piece of sheet metal formed to provide means for attachment to the edge of the stringer and side plates which extend from a position back of the edge of the stringer and project away from the stringer to provide an unobstructed socket between them, and means for preventing spreading apart of said plates, said last mentioned means being located between the inner edge of said side plates and the socket proper.

GEORGE HOWARD CU'I'I'LER' 

